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Report 8 of the 17 Apr 01 meeting of the Finance, Planning and Best Value Committee and describes progress made by the MPS in implementing its budget for 2001/2002.

Warning: This is archived material and may be out of date. The Metropolitan Police Authority has been replaced by the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPC).

See the MOPC website for further information.

Budget implementation 2001/02

Report: 8
Date: 17 April 2001
By: Commissioner

Summary

This paper describes progress made by the MPS in implementing its budget for 2001 / 2002 following the last meeting of the FPBV on 20 March 2001. It is recommended that the first full report on the Budget Implementation will be produced in June 2001.

A. Recommendations

Members are asked:

  1. the continued progress with Budget Implementation outlined in this report be noted;
  2. the first full Budget Implementation Report will be produced in June 2001.

B. Supporting information

1. At the Finance Planning and Best Value Committee meeting on 20 March 2001 the Commissioner submitted a paper (FPBV/01/37), which reported progress made by the MPS in implementing its budget for 2001/2002, in the light of the ten budget conditions laid down by the GLA Assembly on 14 February 2001.

2. It was agreed at that meeting that a budget implementation report would be submitted to each FPBV meeting tracking progress on the GLA Budget motion in respect of the MPS. This paper is intended to fulfil that purpose.

3. Since the last FPBV meeting the activities have focused on setting the constituent budgets and awareness raising activities to brief both operational and support colleagues on the implications of the ten budget conditions for future budget management.

4. Two very successful budget briefing seminars were held, one at Hendon for Territorial Policing and Specialist Operations Borough Commanders, other OCU Commanders and Finance and Resource Managers, and one at Imber Court for other Business Groups. At these, senior operational colleagues joined the Director of Resources in disseminating the message that budgetary performance is now on a par in terms of importance with operational performance.

5. This message has been reinforced by:

  • a letter from the Commissioner to all senior police officers and senior members of the support staff;
  • the Commissioner's briefing to all senior staff on 26 March 2001, at which MPA members joined in the final session, taking questions from senior managers; and
  • further articles in The Job newspaper.

6. Meanwhile, budget workforce targets for police officer numbers for 2001/02 have been agreed and circulated to all Business Group heads and Borough Commanders. These reflect the Commissioner's pledge that the 1,050 additional police officers will be posted to Boroughs once they have completed their initial recruit training at Hendon.

7. Furthermore, budgets reflecting these priorities have been disaggregated to Business Group level. Business Groups are in the process of further disaggregating budgets to business unit level, with a deadline of return to the central Finance Department of before the Easter Break.

8. Progress has been made in establishing effective monitoring systems to record specific information on the three budget priorities, namely:

  • recruitment of an additional 1,050 police officers;
  • civil staff pay measures; and
  • Information Technology programme.

9. In particular, a proforma has been established and all Boroughs tasked with identifying those support roles currently occupied by police officers and submitting regular returns. This will form part of the first Budget Implementation Report, which will be produced once information is available for the first month of the new financial year.

10. A specific project is being undertaken within the Directorate of Information to establish a new support unit for DOI programmes and projects. This will strengthen management control and reporting of progress both in terms of timeliness and budgets. Enhanced information should be available in time for the first Budget Implementation report in June 2001.

11. Work on other strands continues in line with plans submitted in the earlier report.

C. Financial implications

There are no direct financial implications arising from this report. There is, however, an expectation that financial reporting and budgeting control will improve in 2001/02.

D. Background papers

E. Contact details

The author of this report is Ann Beasley, Resources Directorate Business Manager.

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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